Goggles which are intended for use in an outdoor environment include ski goggles, motorcycle goggles and the like as well as safety goggles which provide protection for the wearer's eyes from external air and particulate matter. Such goggles typically have vent apertures open to external air flow to exchange air between the exterior environment and the interior of the goggle. Such a vented exchange of air will minimize fogging caused by moisture in the air condensing on the lens of the goggle. The vent apertures are typically covered by a porous foam to control the air exchange while forming a partial barrier to snow, dust and other particulate matter. Typical goggles also include a replaceable lens which may be a single lens or a double lens, and often such lenses are tinted in various colors to assist in contrast and glare protection.
Numerous goggles have vent apertures in the top, bottom and/or sides of the frame, which apertures are covered in a porous foam, in order to vent the goggle interior to exterior air. Vent apertures which face forwardly into the direct air flow stream are known and include goggles with apertures in the lens as well as goggles with apertures in the top sections of the frame. In general, such forward facing apertures are of small diameter because too great a volume of air flow into the goggle interior can be deltirious to the wearer's eyes and can cause tearing of the eyes due to the air flow as well as due to cold exterior temperatures such as exist in a ski goggle. In many instances, these forward facing aperture holes do not communicate directly with the interior of the goggle, but rather create a venturi effect to draw air out of the goggle interior. In general, the amount of air flow through the interior of such goggles was relatively small notwithstanding that an increased rate of air exchange could improve the anti-fogging properties of the goggle. As a result, a balance was needed between increased air flow through goggle vents and the various adverse effect which were the consequence of increased air flow.
Another problem with prior goggles having a plastic flexible frame is that tension in a stretchable headband strap can distort the goggle frame. Any distortion can alter the characteristics of the goggle against the wearer's face as well as the fit within a helmet. Furthermore, the helmet may include padding associated with the front opening which can interfere with the vent apertures in a typical vented goggle and render ineffective such venting. Many goggles with vent apertures are not fully effective when used in conjunction with a helmet.